In the wake of the terrorist attack, MagWeb.com members from around the world have sent e-mails to us expressing sympathy and support. I want to vent my own reaction first, then will follow with theirs.--RL From Russ Lockwood, CEO of MagWeb.com Thank you all for your kind words. Shock is about the best way to put it. We're so used to seeing movies show exploding buildings and landmarks, but when it really happens, well, it is shocking and a matter of disbelief. The terrorists may be celebrating now, but as Adm. Yamamoto noted soberly after Pearl Harbor (something to the effect of): "I fear we have waken a sleeping giant." The US tends to stick its nose in various places, sometimes with good effect, othertimes with ineptness. We tend to believe that every country should be just like the US , as the "ugly American tourists" often demonstrate, without thinking about cultural differences and heritage. We tend to show the world how divisive, arrogant, impatient, and self-absorbed we are. Yet, for all our foibles and failures, those factors which contribute to everything --imagined or real-- that is "bad" about America combine with all that is "good" about our country to create an united front stronger than the sum of its parts. Few countries restrain the hand of vengeance over a defeated enemy, as we did with Germany, Japan, and Italy after WWII, and Iraq after the Gulf War. Fewer still would reach out to enemies we did not defeat, as with China and to an extent North Korea in the Korean War, or Vietnam after the Vietnam War. We even reach out to those countries who saw a better way of life, as with the Soviet Union after the Cold War. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we retreat. Sometimes it takes longer than it should. But we remain, as always, about freedom and justice and hope. From T.H. I have left this brief note of condolance to you all for the events of this tragic day until my knee-jerk reaction subdued, and I could hopefully let you all know of my deep regret and sympathy on these terrible circumstances, and the great loss of life that has occurred. Hopefully none of you knew anybody that were harmed, although the shock of these attacks and their reprocussions will effect not only the U.S. but the whole world, it would appear that there are nearly 500 British people are missing in the wreckage at New York, our biggest loss of life to a terrorist act. Please allow me to state that whatever evolves from these attacks you may count on my whole-hearted support on any response that might be deemed necessary or expedient, by your Government. It would appear that this feeling of mutual co-operation to defend Democracy is also felt necessary by a large percentage of British people too. I hope that this note will enable you know that it is not just foriegn Governments that feel the need to give support and show solidarity but the normal person on the street too. Hopefully I find you all in good health. My Kindest Regards to you All. From A.R. I am deeply grieved for the terrible events which have happened yesterday in your Country. I wish to convey to you my deep and sincere feeling of solidarity also in the name of the friendship and mutual respect which link our countries. From J.S. I thought that you might be interested in these satellite photos of New York City. When you get a chance, use your browser to visit:http://www.space.com/news/ikonos_wtc_010912.html Then, enlarge one or more of the thumbnail photos of the trade towers from the IKONOS satellite. From W.H. I'd like to express to you the great sorrow and anger that Australians feel about the stupid and criminal acts that have occurred in your country. From W.C. I work....I went on break......The two young men sitting next to me were laughing to themselves about the bombings...The Palestinians are bombing and dancing...The two young men said that they were angry...They mentioned that in 1955, the Jewish people did in their ancestors...They said that they would "stop at nothing"....... I am frightened about this type of mentality......this should not be! The following is not from a MagWeb.com member, but was sent to us.--RL America: The Good Neighbor from Gordon Sinclair Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record: "This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States. When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it. When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans. I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes? Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon -! not once, but several times - and safely home again. You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here. When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke. I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake. Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those." Stand proud, America! Back to 3rd Quarter 2001 List of News Items Back to Master List of News Items Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Coalition Web, Inc. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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